The following is an excerpt from

Barefoot Atlas Volunteer Central America

Available for download at barefootatlascomguides

Be Extraordinary

S-2BarefootAtlascom PENINSULA NICOYA

Peninsula Nicoya

Peninsula Nicoya is a beautiful wild place Surfing put it on the map but the tranquility of life here has attracted all manner of soul-searchers to the small beach hamlets that dot the coast The area has only recently devel-oped a tourism infrastructure most notably in Montezuma and itrsquos still a difficult place to reach which keeps most of the short-term vacationers away

Peninsula Nicoya is noticeably poorer than other parts of Costa Rica but only in eco-nomic terms When it comes to quality of life the gorgeous beaches and delightfully slow pace make this place rich indeed Each of the small towns has their own unique style and each one is worth exploring

MONTEZUMAMontezuma is the big man on campus in this region Itrsquos become famous as a bohemian paradise where artists and surfers can trade the noise of civilization for funky small-town charm The last decade has brought some modern luxuries but hippie jewelry stands vegan cafeacutes and yoga classes still dominate Around here someonersquos always smoking a spliff and the first beer is cracked well before lunch Nights get wild and the restaurant scene is as diverse as the community With accommodations as cheap as US$10 a night budget travelers call it paradise Montezu-marsquos beach is a gorgeous crescent with rocky cliffs defining its borders For swimming or surfing most walk north to less rocky calmer stretches or take buses to find even more remote spots

COacuteBANOSeven kilometers inland (and straight uphill) from Montezuma lies Coacutebano the regionrsquos

capital Itrsquos a small community where tourism doesnrsquot play nearly as big a role as it does at the beach Aside from the local government itrsquos also home to most of the big stores and the bank Coacutebano is the peninsularsquos bus hub from which itrsquos convenient to explore all the tiny coastal towns

CABUYACabuya is not much of a town mdash just the in-tersection of two dusty roads in the summer or two muddy ones in the winter Itrsquos the hot lazy kind of place where you canrsquot quite figure out how anyone makes a living with all the napping that goes on The rocky beaches donrsquot draw tourists like the sandy ones of Montezuma The only reason Cabuya even makes it on the map is because itrsquos the jump-ing off point for the Cabo Blanco national park

The small town is completely safe and very local No one speaks English and everyone always stops to say ldquoholardquo The opportu-nity for cultural exchange here dwarfs that of nearby Montezuma whose residents are predominantely foreigners

ORIENTATION ampGETTING AROUNDAll the towns on the southern tip of the pen-insula are within just a few miles of each other Bad roads make traveling between them slow and bumpy However every town is connected to the regionrsquos humble capital of Coacutebano several times a day by bus With few roads someonersquos always heading your direction making hitchhiking a popular way to get around

VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS

bull Escuela Futuro Verde

bull Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary

S-3 PENINSULA NICOYA Join Us Online S-4BarefootAtlascom PENINSULA NICOYA

to Pu

ntarena

s

to Jacoacute

Mal Paiacutes

Cabo BlancoNational Park

Cabuya

Playa del Carmen

Playa Mazanillo

Cobanoacute

Paquera

Tambor

Montezuma

Pacific Ocean2km1mi

PENINSULANICOYA

THINGS TO SEE amp DOSURF MAL PAIacuteS amp SANTA TERESAYou know that mythical place where impos-sibly attractive people spend their days surf-ing and their nights watching sunsets from a plank-wood bar only to end up asleep in each othersrsquo arms after passing a bottle around a beach fire Well Mal Paiacutes is that place Itrsquos a string of long empty beaches dotted with little clusters of artistic hippie communities Surf-ing is the only way of life and the waves repay the residentsrsquo dedication with perfect breaks all day every day Itrsquos an incredible place for volunteers to spend their weekends Buses make the hour-long bumpy trip from Coacutebano every day at 730 am 1130 am and 330 pm The crossroads where the bus drops off marks the border between the Mal Paiacutes and

Santa Teresa areas The 3km of beaches south are called Mal Paiacutes and the 3km of beaches north are called Santa Teresa Aside from their names you wonrsquot find much difference between the two except that Santa Teresa has more affordable options for accommodations Zeneidarsquos Cabinas y Camping offers sandy campsites with bathrooms and showers for US$4 a night If you want a roof there are plenty of options around the US$10-20 range A couple of nice shops in Santa Teresa rent surfboards for US$10 a day and offer private lessons for US$40 an hour

CABO BLANCO RESERVEJust past Cabuya on the coastal road is the entrance to the Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco Cabo Blanco was the very first protected area in Costa Rica launching the

countryrsquos incredible national park system To come to the peninsula and miss this place would be a big mistake The reserve is called an ldquoabsolute reserverdquo because people are not allowed in large swaths of it Where you can hike wildlife is omnipresent and the beach is breathtaking There are several trails from the entrance The park rangers will explain the options when you arrive To do it right and make it all the way to the beach and back takes at least four hours usually five

The park is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8 am until 4 pm The entrance fee is US$10 Buses leave Montezuma for the park stopping at Cabuya on the way every two hours from 8 am until 6 pm The trip is just 30 minutes and costs ₡600

PARTY IN MONTEZUMAMontezuma is the place to be when you want to cut loose The whole town revolves around showing tourists a good time There are dozens of bars ranging from the soulful stare-at-the-sea kind to the who-is-this-girl-pouring-tequila-down-my-throat type The centerpiece of the scene is Chicorsquos Bar in the middle of town Every night around 10 pm the bass begins to build and the dance floor starts its inevitable slide into epic debauchery

WHEN TO GO

Peninsula Nicoya is beautiful year round During the summer (December through June) rain is rare and the lush hillsides turn brown and thin out considerably The mid-day heat is oppressive especially in April but it hardly matters if yoursquore in the waves The rainy season (July through November) brings lower prices fewer travelers and greener hills but of course more rain

ESSENTIALSSAFETYPeninsula Nicoya has very little crime What little petty theft there is happens around Mon-tezuma late at night

HEALTHCoacutebano is home to a small clinic that offers free health services Itrsquos the right place if you

have stomach issues or other minor ailments For anything serious yoursquoll have to make the trip to San Joseacute

BANKINGCoacutebano has the only bank around Mont-ezuma gets by with just an ATM and Cabuya makes due with neither Itrsquos a good idea to bring all the cash yoursquore going to need with you when you come The ATM in Montezuma has been known to run out and limited bank hours (and random holidays) can cause un-necessary headaches If you are making a trip to the bank in Coacutebano expect to spend a few hours in line and bring your passport

INTERNET Coacutebano Montezuma and Cabuya all have Internet cafes The speeds on the Peninsula are decent but the prices steep (₡1200 per hour)

GETTING THERE amp AWAYGetting to the tip of Peninsula Nicoya is a pain but thatrsquos part of the charm The fastest and most expensive way is to take the 1045 am fast ferry from Jacoacute (US$40) Reserva-tions are required (reservationsthetaxiboatcom) Jacoacute is connected to San Jose by five buses daily (3 hrs ₡2000) The second most convenient option is to take one of Mont-ezuma Expeditionrsquos US$45 shuttles (wwwmontezumaexpeditionscom) offered from every tourist spot in Costa Rica including the airport in San Joseacute For travelers who can time it right a good choice is a direct bus from San Josersquos Coca-Cola terminal to Montezuma (departs 6 am and 2 pm ₡7000) The most complicated but also the most flexible and least expensive method of reaching the pen-insula is to take a bus to Puntarenas (departs hourly from the Coca-Cola terminal in San Joseacute 2 hours ₡1800) Then catch the ferry to Paquera (departs every two hours from 630 am to 830 pm ₡900) Then finally hop on the bus that meets the ferry for an hour-long ride to Coacutebano Montezuma or Cabuya (₡1000) All routes except the fast ferry from Jacoacute take about six hours

S-5 PENINSULA NICOYA gtgt RAINSONG Join Us Online S-6BarefootAtlascom PENINSULA NICOYA gtgt RAINSONG

Volunteer Organization

Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary WHAT VOLUNTEERS CAN DObull Care for wounded or sick animalsbull Patrol beaches for turtle nestsbull Raise and plant tree saplings for reforestation

COSTS bull Volunteering Freebull Accommodations Free

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTSbull One-month time commitmentbull Medical insurance

PERFECT FORbull Someone who wants to live rustically and spend their days caring for wildlife

Aside from a dozen or so volunteers and the fiery Texan in charge Rainsong Wildlife Sanc-tuary (RWS) is also home to one white faced capuchin monkey two toucans four porcu-pines a bluejay a green iguana a guinea pig four baby howler monkeys red and yellow river turtles a couple of parakeets and a pig that plays soccer But thatrsquos just this week Itrsquos always changing

Located in the peninsularsquos small town of Cabuya RWS cares for ailing animals and gives a voice to the regionrsquos original inhab-itants It sits on the doorstep of the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve with the same stun-ning beaches and breathtaking forests that inspired the entire Costa Rican national park system The project gets involved in any way it can doing whatrsquos necessary to conserve the wildlife here Each year RWS attracts over 200 volunteers who lend a hand in achiev-ing these long-term conservation results The project has a tranquil setting and an earthy loving vibe that makes it easy to see why so many volunteers choose to come here

ORGANIZATION amp BACKGROUNDRWS was founded in the mid-1990s by Mary Lynn Perry an American who has been in Costa Rica even longer than that The proj-ectrsquos work is multifaceted First and foremost there is the wildlife sanctuary where injured animals receive the care and love they need to recuperate At any given time the sanctu-ary provides a home to dozens of different animals on the mend

When animals are fully healed RWS releases them onto a 28-acre reserve adjacent to the sanctuary (another of RWSrsquos projects) The reserve contains some primary forest but the land was mostly degraded when RWS purchased it Over the last 16 years RWS has been repairing the ecosystem by breeding and reintroducing three-toed sloths bairdrsquos tapirs quetzals spider monkeys kinkajous tepez-quintles tamandua anteaters green iguanas crested guans chachalacs native pigeons and quail scarlet macaws the list goes on They also have been aggressively reforesting the area and now maintain a plant nursery to grow

endangered hardwood and native fruit trees

The project gets involved politically on envi-ronmental issues partners with international conservation groups and promotes environ-mental education wherever it can When you add all these projects up it becomes obvious that RWS is not a formal organization with a narrow mission and annual reports Instead they are just protecting what they love every way they can RWS is the force for conserva-tion in the region And their work is of special importance because Cabuya borders Costa Ricarsquos oldest national park the Cabo Blanco Reserve The pressures of development are strong on this picturesque peninsula But if there is anything stronger it is Maryrsquos drive to defend and preserve the homes of the local wildlife

VOLUNTEER PROGRAMSEveryone at RWS is a volunteer itrsquos a labor of love The project makes a point to match their volunteersrsquo work with their interests andor experience In other words If you love mon-keys okay you can work with the monkeys They also encourage and support volunteers who have their own ideas for improving the sanctuary

CARING FOR THE ANIMALSRWS cares for wounded or infant animals until they are healthy or old enough to survive on their own at which time they are returned to the wild Caring for dozens of animals requires more work than you might imagine Therersquos the daily chores of cleaning cages and preparing food (what volunteers usually start out doing) as well as attending to the animalsrsquo medical needs and providing stimulation As volunteers get comfortable and learn how to care for different animals they can take on additional responsibilities As long as yoursquore comfortable with it you will be handling the animals RWS believes that providing love is equally as important as food and medicine to an animalrsquos recovery Petting playing and hugging are encouraged

REFORESTATION amp MAINTENANCEVolunteers chip in with the maintenance of the sanctuary and the reserve Cages need building Roofs need patching There are

What would a Costa Rican wildlife refuge be without a one-armed capuchin monkey Rainsongrsquos is named Tarzan Find him on Facebook to join his legion of fans at face-bookcompagesTARZAN278080223351

S-7 PENINSULA NICOYA gtgt RAINSONG Join Us Online S-8BarefootAtlascom PENINSULA NICOYA gtgt RAINSONG

always carpentry projects for anyone who can swing a hammer

Reserve maintenance includes some refores-tation work Volunteers collect seeds nurse saplings and plant (and plant and plant) The goal is to repair the reserversquos ecosystem from the bottom up Reforestation is a precursor to the successful reintroduction of many spe-cies RWS also sells a portion of its saplings to community members at a huge discount to promote reforestation outside the reserve

TURTLE BEACH PATROLSFrom November through April RWS adds beach patrols to its list of volunteer activities Itrsquos an unusually long patrolling season be-cause the nearby Manzio beach hosts several species of sea turtles each coming ashore at different times to lay their eggs Every night volunteers pair up to comb the beaches in a race to find new nests before poachers do When a nest is discovered the eggs are trans-ferred to a secret hatchery in Cabuya where their chance of survival is much greater Find-ing a nest is by no means an everyday occur-rence so volunteers also use the time to pick up trash (mostly washed up plastic) along the beach

WHAT TO EXPECTORIENTATIONNew volunteers learn the ropes by shadowing another volunteer for their first few days They start with simple tasks like cleaning and pre-paring food and slowly add responisiblities as they learn about the needs of individual animals in RWSrsquos care

Regulations in Costa Rica require a five-day quarantine period before foreigners may handle animals to prevent the importation and spread of any diseases Thatrsquos five days in Costa Rica not necessarily five days at RWS So if you fly in and come straight to RWS you wonrsquot be able to touch the animals until your sixth day So you may want to pad the front end of your trip with a few beach days

HOURS AND TIME OFFRWS volunteers are expected to work six hours a day six days a week The workday is divided into morning shifts (roughly 7 am to 1 pm) and afternoon shifts (roughly noon to 6 pm) Assigned duties rarely take the full shift to complete The remaining time is de-voted to interacting playing with and loving the animals

ACCOMMODATIONSPart of the allure of volunteering at RWS is the opportunity to stay in the projectrsquos rustic little volunteer house The house is on the reserve and surrounded by rich primary and second-ary jungle Therersquos even a nearby waterfall The accommodations are rather modest in terms of infrastructure Everything is open air The main living quarters essentially a deck with a roof are shared by all the volunteers each in their own tent or with their own pile of sheets The shower (also shared) has no hot water and the toilets are compost only Any discomfort however is compensated for by the incredible ocean view and the troops of monkeys that swing past your bed every morning

The very small shared living space makes it a tremendously social experience Couples who prefer more privacy can take advantage of a second structure the tiny tree house up the hill mdash lovingly referred to as the honey-moon suite

There is an option to forgo the free housing and stay at a guesthouse in Cabuya (US$8 a night) instead In this case volunteers need to commit only four hours a day to RWS

FOODThe volunteer house has a rustic kitchen and a refrigerator There are two small groceries

a bakery and a few local restaurants within walking distance Volunteers often cook big dinners together once or twice a week

SOCIAL LIFE Nursing baby monkeys in Costa Rica is an attractive proposition So at any given time there will likely be at least a half dozen other volunteers to share your downtime with Communal living keeps the international group close Volunteers take weekend beach trips together and often head into Montezuma together for drinks Drinking is allowed at the volunteer house (within reason) but showing up to work with a hangover is decidedly not

STAYING CONNECTEDRWS has WiFi in the sanctuary but not in the area where volunteers sleep There is an In-ternet cafeacute (and a pay phone) in town Volun-teers can give RWSrsquos landline number to their families in case of emergency

HEALTHThe biggest health concern for volunteers comes not from the animals but from the water There is no safe drinking water at RWS Bring sterilizing tablets or yoursquoll be stuck lug-ging bottled water back and forth from town every day

WHAT TO PACKVolunteering at RWS is a dirty job Bring plenty of old clothes They will undoubtedly get some kind of feces on them Other essen-tials include a pair of boots a flashlight and your own bedding

WHEN TO GORWS is open year round Their needs are con-stant but they usually have more volunteers

during the summer (December through June) and less in the rainy season (May to October) November through April is turtle nesting season

VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTSVolunteers typically stay one to three months On occasion RWS accepts volunteers for shorter terms English is the working language so no Spanish is required No special skills or prior experience working with animals is needed either Volunteers must be over 18 years of age and send proof of medical insur-ance before they arrive

COSTS amp DONATIONSBring cash with you to Cabuya There is no bank and travelerrsquos checks are not accepted anywhere Volunteering and lodging is free at RWS but yoursquoll want some money in your pocket for food and weekend trips

RWS is a registered non-profit in Costa Rica They can accept donations through Western Union Contact Mary for specific instructions

ldquoIrsquove been at Rainsong for over two months now and I just canrsquot seem to get enough of the animals Taking care of baby mon-keys never gets old especially watching them play in the trees The toucans and the legendary mdash and always entertain-ing mdash Tarzan have made my stay pretty incrediblerdquo

- Rania RWS Volunteer

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FINDING THE PROJECTWhen volunteers are accepted to the program theyrsquoll be provided information about their transportation options Getting to Cubaya can be tricky but RWS will happily book airport pick ups and shuttles to bring you straight there If volunteers make their own way by bus (see Peninsula Nicoya) a RWS volunteer will meet them at the bus stop in Cabuya and walk them to the sanctuary

HOW TO APPLYThe application form is available to download from the RWS web site Itrsquos a long one with some open-ended questions Give it the time it deserves and yoursquoll expedite the acceptance process Keep in mind volunteering at RWS requires some planning They need at least one monthrsquos notice to screen and prepare for you Moreover Mary doesnrsquot check email every day so it can be a week before your ap-plication even gets reviewed If you apply and havenrsquot heard back after two weeks feel free to send a follow up

CONTACT INFORMATIONPrimary Contact Mary Lynn Perry FounderOrganization Rainsong Wildlife SanctuaryWeb Site wwwrainsongsanctuarycomPhone +506 2642 1265 or +506 8387 3607 (Maryrsquos cell)Email rainsongwildlifesanctuarygmailcomFacebook facebookcompagesRainsong-Wild-life-Sanctuary-Costa-Rica141821105847000Twitter RainsongCRYouTube youtubecomrainsongsanctuary

A SHOCKING TRAGEDY

In the last decade several studies have indicated massive declines in Costa Ricarsquos monkey populations According to RWS the country lost 50 of its monkeys be-tween the years of 2002 and 2007 alone The cause electrocution by exposed (ie uninsulated) power lines Last year alone RWS tried to save 40 different victims Only two survived A petition from RWS pushed the local government to insulate 20km of wire around Cabuya but there is still a lot of work to do and little time to do it before monkey populations collapse Mary is vehemently outspoken on the issue Join her petition through Facebook at facebookcomgroups131978196813647

Published by Barefoot Atlas LLCAuthors Alexandra Lowe and Devin Welch

All rights reserved under international and pan-american copyright conventions This information is extensively researched and prepared by Barefoot Atlas in

cooperation with the organizations listed and must not be reproduced stored or transmitted in full or in part without prior written permission from Barefoot Atlas

LLC Barefoot Atlas is a registered trademark of Barefoot Atlas LLC

Barefoot Atlas receives no compensation from any of the projects hotels restaurants or other organizations covered in our guides Any recommendations or

reviews are completely independent and objective

Text copy 2012 by Barefoot Atlas LLC

Published in the United States of America 011

Map data copy OpenStreetMap contributors CC-BY-SA Maps available free of charge Submit written requests along with a self-addressed stamped envelope to

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Unless noted below the photographs featured in this book are all owned or licensed by Barefoot Atlas LLC Documentation available upon request Credits

for photographs used under CC-BY-20 license cover copy flickrkansasphoto page S-2 copy flickrPiratepenpen page S-8(top) copy flickrrbreve

page S-8(bottom) copy flickrtylerkaraszewski

Whilst Barefoot Atlas makes every effort to ensure the information regarding the organizations and places in our publications is legitimate and up-to-date we do not accept responsibility for any inaccuracies that may exist We make no

warranty about the accuracy or completeness of this bookrsquos content and disclaim all liability arising from its use